CSS to format email Tips needed (Full Version)

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spinningjennie -> CSS to format email Tips needed (6/28/2007 2:09:01)

I want to create a professional looking email from an htm file, and use an embedded css stylesheet to control the formatting. I've managed to do this successfully by sending a draft email to myself using a program called Group Mail Pro.

Q1. What controls the appearance of the email: the email program that the person who receives the email has (such as Outlook 2003), OR the sending program (such as Group Mail Pro), OR something else?

Q2. If this email might be sent out by members of a co-op would I be best to not use CSS to format it, and just use Word formatting, but save as an HTM file? (they have various levels of computer experience and applications)

Many thanks for any thoughts on this.
spinningjennie



Tailslide -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/28/2007 2:52:10)

Unfortunately the ugly truth is that HTML emails and nice neat CSS don't go together.

You can sometimes get away with inline CSS but you may find yourself back using font tags! This is because of the dreadful support for CSS of the various email systems. I understand that the new version of Outlook now uses Word's rendering engine - not even IE's!!

Here's a useful article on the subject -

http://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/archives/2007/04/a_guide_to_css_support_in_emai_2.html#web

Good luck!

Personally, I tend to stick with text only emails because so many email clients have it set up as the default plus it's safer - at least you know what it's going to look like!!



c1sissy -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/28/2007 7:03:15)

CSS-d list has some good information for you to read as well as a few links to other email with css information.



spinningjennie -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/29/2007 11:27:41)

Thanks for the great links Tailslide and c1sissy!

Tailslide, despite your wise advice about using a text email I think I'll have to compromise to keep people happy.

I thought I might create the email in Outlook 2003, with a simple image banner inserted at the top with text below rather than code it in html, because I think the co-op members wouldn't be able to send an email coded in html because they don't have access to a group email program.

Q1. Will this approach result in messy email invitations?
Q2. If my image is simply inserted, and not linking to a web server via html coding is there a risk that it won’t be seen by the receiver of the email?

Thanks for any insights.

spinningjennie



jaybee -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/29/2007 14:55:12)

Try it. Set one up and send it to yourself.



c1sissy -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/29/2007 16:07:58)

quote:

Thanks for the great links Tailslide and c1sissy!


Your welcome spinningjennie, I hope you figure it out.

Do as Jaybee suggests and send one to yourself, the only way I would think that it would not go through is if someone has their email set to recieve text only and not html.



spinningjennie -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/29/2007 19:48:47)

Thanks jaybee and c1sissy. I had tried it and it worked fine when sent to me.

But will it look fine when other people receive it into their partcular email systems? Perhaps the font changes for example.

Also, if I'm not sending with a plain text alternative (which can be done through a group mail program) does the email with the image included simply not get received by a person that c1sissy describes as setting their email to receive text only?

spinningjennie



d a v e -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/30/2007 1:39:21)

there's also some tips that you might find useful on here http://www.zeldman.com/2007/06/12/eight-points-for-better-e-mail-relationships/



Tailslide -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/30/2007 3:42:51)

Yeah another problem is that different email clients offer different support for different CSS elements so where it works fine in Outlook 2003 it may well not work in Outlook express or Thunderbird or Gmail.




caz -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/30/2007 7:16:47)

I have Thunderbird set not to show images, but if I know the sender I can allow images on a message by message basis. But as Tailslide says I don't use either html or images in emails - I also get tee'd off when I receive mail that takes forever to download. [;)]



d a v e -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/30/2007 11:59:14)

one compromise would be either a simplified email (say graphic header) then fairly basic text or just plain text, with a link to an online page with the full thing...



jaybee -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (6/30/2007 20:37:46)

http://www.campaignmonitor.com/templates/



d a v e -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (7/1/2007 2:54:07)

nice one(s) ;)



spinningjennie -> RE: CSS to format email Tips needed (7/1/2007 9:43:20)

Thanks a lot Tailslide, Jaybee, caz, dave for the very useful tips and links.

I had been worrying that if I create the email in html using the Groupmail program, then the co-op members, who don't have that Groupmail program, wouldn't be able to use the coding I created to send their own copy of the email to their clients.

Thinking about it now, as long as my coding follows the tips in the links you've provided, then once I create the email, all I should need to do is send it to myself, and then forward it on to the co-op members. Presumably the html coding and the plain text format option doesn't get lost in the forwarding process?? (I'll test this out with Outlook at least).

Thanks again!
spinningjennie



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